


what i could be

by radneto



Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Character Death, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, M/M, Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, Trauma?, Whump, he's TWELVE, i just wanted to write a baby obi wan, i'm just bullshitting this concept of time travel, none of this make sense, the codywan is only very brief and at the end and not really relevant to the plot, unbeta'd we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:06:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23603521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/radneto/pseuds/radneto
Summary: Obi-Wan is twelve years old and has just become Qui-Gon Jinn's newest Padawan. On his first mission with his master, he somehow gets transported to the future and chaos ensues.Or I find an excuse to write a baby Obi.
Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker (implied), Qui-Gon Jinn & Obi-Wan Kenobi
Comments: 15
Kudos: 810
Collections: Suggested Good Reads





	what i could be

**Author's Note:**

> y'all i don't fuckin know i just work here  
> this also took too long to write i did NOT wanna write this after i wrote like 12 pages but i went "fuck it. i wrote twelve pages, i can write twelve more" so suffer with me

This was Obi-Wan’s first mission with his master. It had been a few months since he was chosen to become Qui-Gon Jinn’s apprentice and he felt both excited and nervous about this opportunity. He and his master did not know each other very well yet but he hoped that this mission would bring them closer together. Maybe he would finally understand what was going on in his master’s mind.

It wasn’t like he disliked his master. In fact, they got along quite well. It’s just that sometimes, Qui-Gon would say or do something rather unorthodox, often butting heads with the Council. Obi-Wan knew that as a youngling, he had been rather rebellious as well. He had a hard time listening to his cr è chemaster and would go off and do his own thing, causing trouble as he went. It was this rebellious nature that made Obi-Wan slowly begin to follow the regulations that good Jedi were supposed to follow. So when his master blatantly chose to ignore the proper protocols they were expected to follow, his twelve-year old mind found it rather concerning. 

And then they were tasked with meeting with the newly elected Supreme Chancellor, Kirames Kaj. The Chancellor wanted them to help watch over the transfer of a few high-risk prisoners to the Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center while she discussed future plans for the prison with the Jedi. The moment they arrived at the prison, Obi-Wan knew he had a bad feeling about whatever was to come.

“Should the Republic decide to go to war for any reason, I think that the detention center would be a good place to keep all especially dangerous war criminals, don’t you think?” the Chancellor had told them as they waited for the transport to arrive.

To be frank, Obi-Wan didn’t really like the idea of the Republic going to war. He didn’t like the idea of war in general. He could tell that his master felt the same judging by the way he tensed slightly.

“Should the Republic go to war, yes, the detention center would be most useful in that situation. But I think it would be best to hope that war will not come in the near future,” Qui-Gon expressed sagely.

Kirames Kaj nodded in agreement, her expression solemn. “I agree. I also do not like the thought of war, but I know that others do not share such sentiments,” she sighed before moving on. “Normally I would not oversee the transportation of prisoners, considering how dangerous it is, but I heard that there was an interesting convict among them this time. Have you ever heard of a Stygian?”

Obi-Wan had no idea what a Stygian was but his master hummed in recognition. “Only in stories. They’re creatures of myth that are said to be kept in jars or bottles and that whoever releases them will be granted miraculous wishes.”

“Yes, that’s what I had thought they were as well. However, none of that appears to be true. Stygians are fog-like creatures who like to loiter in shadows or in darkness. I read that they are capable of entering dreams, turning them into nightmares. They’re quite scary, aren’t they?” the Chancellor said, looking up as the transport slowly made its descent onto the landing pad. “They come from the planet Styx and are impossible to kill, but some pilgrims managed to trap and seal it in a jar, turning it over to Republic authorities.”

“So there is a Stygian on board the transport?” Obi-Wan asked curiously. “What crime did it commit?”

“It killed and terrorized hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of people. I’m not entirely sure if this is a thing that all Stygians do, but this one seems to be particularly bloodthirsty which is why we must keep it locked away here. It calls itself Varo Skhan.”

Suddenly, the transport started swaying violently, alarms blaring from within the ship. The prison guards and personal guards of the Chancellor aimed their blasters at the transport, ready to fire should anything come out of it. Obi-Wan glanced at his master who had a grim expression upon his face as his hand hovered over his lightsaber. Obi-Wan sensed something sinister within the transport, something dangerous and hungry for blood. He felt a chill run down his spine. The ship stopped abruptly, just hovering above the landing pad ominously. For a moment, there was silence, only the sound of the ship’s engines audible besides the usual city noises around them. Then, a starfighter shot out of the main transport, speeding up to the skies. What followed was chaos. Some of the guards ran quickly to their own starfighters, chasing after the stolen ship. Other guards rushed the Supreme Chancellor to safety. Normally, the Jedi would have to follow the Chancellor, but Qui-Gon had other ideas. He used the Force to bring the transport back down and the hatch was opened, revealing the mutilated bodies of the pilots and other prisoners. Obi-Wan’s eyes widened in horror. He’d never seen so much blood before. His stomach churned and he had to look away, silently willing his fear to disappear.

His master stepped in front of him, blocking his view as he picked up a jar from within the ship. Qui-Gon then ushered him towards an empty snubfighter. For a moment, he was confused, but Obi-Wan quickly realized what was going on.

“Are you sure we should be going after the prisoner, master?” he asked warily as he climbed into the ship.

“The Stygian poses a threat to the Republic and to many other innocent lives. We cannot allow it to roam free.”

His master started the snubfighter and took off into the skies, quickly catching up with the prison guards.

“But shouldn’t we contact the council before we-”

“In a situation like this, there is no time to ask for permission, my very young Padawan. Besides, we were asked to oversee the transport of the prisoners and if one has escaped, that would mean we have not been doing our job very well, wouldn’t it?”

Obi-Wan supposed he couldn’t argue with that.

They were far away from Coruscant at this point, the planet becoming smaller and smaller behind them as they chased after the prisoner. The Stygian, Varo Skhan, began firing back at its pursuers, hitting and exploding two of the starfighters immediately. Qui-Gon turned the ship quickly to dodge the oncoming debris. Normally, Obi-Wan did not mind flying, in fact he rather enjoyed it. But at that moment he could not stop thinking about the impending danger. His master instructed him to take control of the blasters and he hastily did as he was told. Obi-Wan managed to lock in on the Stygian, but before he could shoot anything, the starfighter turned around again and flew even further away, heading towards what looked like a dwarf planet. They quickly changed their directions, following Varo as fast as they could. On the scanner, Obi-Wan learned that the planet was called Tangar. He felt that the name was vaguely familiar but couldn’t remember why.

The two ships broke through the atmosphere. When the clouds parted, islands floating above large lakes came into their view. In any other circumstance, Obi-Wan would take a moment to admire the beautiful sight, but he could barely register their surroundings before Varo began firing at them again. The ship swerved to the side to avoid the blasts and Obi-Wan nearly smacked his head against the console.. As they regained their balance, he suddenly remembered why he recognized the name Tangar. He had read about it in the Jedi Archives. Tangar was a dwarf planet in the Core Worlds that had mysterious floating islands, held up by gravity or some other force that was not known. The lakes beneath each island are said to hold mystical properties, from healing serious injuries to teleportation to another planet. The Stygian steered its starship straight into one of the islands, crashing and destroying the fighter carelessly. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon landed near the wreckage, exiting the snubfighter with their lightsabers ready.

“Be alert, Padawan. The Stygian may have crashed only to make us lower our guards,” his master warned as they approached the smoking craft.

“I don’t sense anything, Master. Are you sure it’s still here?”

Just as he said that, a black mist shot out of the debris, charging towards them with a horrible screech. For a moment, Obi-Wan felt fear in his heart, but he pushed it away again, tightening his grip around his lightsaber. But that brief feeling was enough for Varo to turn towards him, the pale skull that made up its face lifting up to reveal rows of razor sharp teeth. He flinched and took a step back, swinging his lightsaber at the prisoner but the blade passed through the mist, allowing the Stygian to sink its teeth into his arm. Obi-Wan cried in pain but he refused to let go of his lightsaber and he tried to shake off his enemy. Qui-Gon charged towards them, the jar in his hands as he tried to seal Varo back into it. The Stygian released Obi-Wan’s arm and moved away from them quickly, avoiding being captured again. Qui-Gon stepped between the prisoner and his Padawan, jar held in front of him as though it were his weapon. Considering that their lightsabers were useless against it, it might as well be.

“Are you alright, Obi-Wan?”

“I will be, I think,” he replied, trying to be brave as his arm began bleeding profusely.

“Stay close to me, then. And try not to use your arm too much.”

“Yes, Master.”

Varo hovered not too far in front of them, like a predator stalking its prey. The situation had become more complicated than both Jedi had hoped. They needed to come up with a better plan to capture the Stygian. And it didn’t help that Obi-Wan’s arm was burning in pain as his blood seeped through the sleeve of his robes. He’d never been injured like this before and getting bit was a lot worse than the way some Jedi Knights described it in their stories.

Suddenly, silence fell between them. It was a standoff between Jedi and prisoner. Obi-Wan put more pressure on his arm to try and stop the bleeding. Qui-Gon’s grip on the jar tightened slightly. A beat passed.

Then the Stygian charged at them again. Qui-Gon assumed a stance, ready to trap Varo in the jar when it became close enough. But clearly, it had other ideas. The prisoner changed direction suddenly and flew right past them, going straight for the cliff. Obi-Wan was hit with realization. Varo planned on using the power of the lake below them, despite having no idea what it might be. He wasn’t sure if his master realized the Stygian’s plan yet, but Obi-Wan was right there, he was close enough to stop him. The black mist of Varo’s body couldn’t be touched, he knew that for sure. But the mask...

When the prisoner was just about to pass Obi-Wan, he reached out with his good arm and grabbed onto the skull. Instantly, he was pulled off his feet and he was being dragged away by the Stygian. This idea had seemed better in his head but now he had no idea how to get Varo to stop if he couldn’t even get his feet to touch the ground. He yelled fearfully as the cliff grew nearer and nearer. The pain in his arm long forgotten as he desperately held onto the skull with both hands now. He could barely hear his master shouting at him.

“Let go, Padawan!”

Obi-Wan didn’t let go. This creature has killed people and will likely do it again if they give up now. No. Obi-Wan was determined to capture Varo no matter what. Together, he and the Stygian went over the cliff, diving head first into the lake below.

* * *

When he came to, he was on a ship. At least... he assumed he was on a ship. Initially, he didn’t have a clear enough mind to determine  _ where _ he was. He was lying in a cot, surrounded by silver and white walls. He wasn’t in the Temple. And he definitely wasn’t on Tangar. He sat up with a wince, his arm still bleeding and perhaps starting to become infected. He figured that must mean he wasn’t in a rescue ship, else he’d be bandaged up. 

Right, he’d fallen into the lake with the prisoner. It must have teleported him into some random ship. He felt afraid again. What if he couldn’t make it back? What if he was stranded on this ship forever? What if he was teleported to a pirate ship? He could get killed! Obi-Wan realized he was hyperventilating and forced himself to calm down, taking deep breaths. Holding his arm carefully, he moved off the cot, carefully investigating the room he was in. There wasn’t much in there besides a Jedi robe and a commlink. Obi-Wan reached out to inspect the robe. This was a good sign. If there was a fellow Jedi on board this vessel, perhaps he could get them to help capture the Stygian—who was nowhere to be found. He reached out with the Force, trying to see if he could sense it, but found nothing. He thought that maybe he should be more concerned about the whereabouts of the escaped prisoner, but there wasn’t much he could do when he didn’t really know where he was. He just had to find that Jedi first. 

Obi-Wan left the room, peering down the hall curiously. He saw people wearing white armor standing and walking around the corridor. Some had helmets and those who weren’t wearing one had identical faces. It was all very surreal to him, like a weird sort of fever dream. Perhaps the Stygian bite  _ was _ poisonous. One of the soldiers approached him and he knew he had been spotted.

“What the- how did you get in here, kid? And what are you doing in General Kenobi’s room?”

He blinked. “General... Kenobi?”

The soldier grabbed him by the arm and he hissed in pain, pulling away quickly and retreating back into the room. The soldier stopped, just now realizing the blood on his robes.

“You’re hurt,” he said and he stepped forward, pausing when Obi-Wan scooted further away.

To his surprise, the soldier knelt down and removed his helmet, holding his hands up to appease him. “I’m not gonna do anything to you. I just wanted to take a look at your arm.”

Obi-Wan stared at him hesitantly. The soldier shared the same face as the other men he saw before. He was bald and had a bit of a goatee. There was a kindness in his eyes. Slowly, without taking his eyes off his face, he extended his arm to him. The soldier carefully pushed his sleeve up and grimaced at his bloodied arm.

“That’s one nasty bite, kiddo. You’re lucky it’s not infected yet,” he said and quickly offered a reassuring smile when he saw Obi-Wan’s eyes widen. “Don’t worry, I’m sure the general has  _ some _ medical supplies around here.”

The soldier stood up then, rummaging through the drawers carefully. Obi-Wan watched him warily. He still wasn’t sure if he should trust this stranger, despite his kind appearance. But his arm still ached and if this man was willing to help him then he might as well take advantage of it.

“Well, I guess I was wrong. There isn’t a single med kit in this room. I suppose that makes sense considering our general’s usual reckless behavior,” the soldier sighed then turned back to Obi-Wan. “Looks like I’m going to have to sneak you to the med bay.”

The soldier, whose name he had yet to learn, sneakily led the way through the ship. They managed to avoid running into any of the other soldiers as they slipped into the medical bay. It was empty. There wasn’t even a medic in the room. The soldier picked Obi-Wan up and set him on one of the beds. He found a sanitary wipe and carefully cleaned away the blood before digging through the drawers for something else.

“I may not be a medic but at least I know basic first aid,” he said and gave a little ‘aha!’ when he found the bacta spray. “This is gonna sting.”

Despite the warning, Obi-Wan still winced as he felt the cool spray hit his arm. The soldier muttered an apology then gently wrapped his arm in gauze. It was a little bit too tight but it wasn’t unbearable.

“Thank you,” he said softly, cradling his arm close to his chest.

“Don’t worry about it,” the soldier assured and ruffled his hair.

Obi-Wan flushed and looked away. He was unused to such displays of affection.

“Now that we got you all fixed up, why don’t you tell me how you got onto this ship and why?”

He didn’t know how to explain his predicament to this soldier. Thinking about it in his head, it was quite hard to believe, even though he had experienced it himself. “Is there a Jedi on this ship?” he asked, dodging the questions.

That got him a frown. “That would be General Kenobi, yes.”

That name bothered him. “But... that doesn’t make any sense,” he said. “There’s no other Kenobi in the Jedi Order. I don’t think.”

“Sorry, what do you mean by ‘other Kenobi?’”

“It’s-that’s  _ my _ name. My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

The soldier laughed as though he had just said the funniest joke he’d ever heard. Then he took in his serious expression and his laughter died. He blanched.

“Oh, fuck.”

* * *

Obi-Wan quickly learned that he had not only teleported through space, but he also traveled through  _ time _ . This was much, much worse than he anticipated. The Republic was at  _ war _ . Apparently in his future he becomes a Jedi General, something that he had never expected would happen to him ever. It was... overwhelming, to say the least. He stared at the flickering holograms of the Jedi Council nervously, fiddling with his short Padawan braid as the council members discussed what to do with him. Beside him were two soldiers. One of them was Waxer, the soldier who had found him and bandaged his arm. The other was known as Marshal Commander Cody, whose authoritative presence was obvious. 

“ _ Return to the Temple, you should _ ,” Master Yoda said then. “ _ Safer there, you will be _ .”

There were murmurs of agreement from the other council members.

“ _ I’ll return to Coruscant as well, _ ” a Jedi Knight, Anakin Skywalker, decided.

“ _ Aren’t you on a mission, Skywalker? Perhaps you should focus on the war at hand _ ,” said Master Windu.

“ _ Actually, we just finished. I was going to call to make my report but it would seem I can just make it in person. Besides, I need to be there to help Obi-Wan. He is my former master, after all _ .”

Obi-Wan blinked.  _ Former master? _

Yoda turned to Commander Cody. “ _ To Coruscant, escort him safely. Take over your mission, Master Plo Koon will _ .”

“Wait-” Obi-Wan spoke up, much to his own surprise. “Um, excuse me, masters, but what about the prisoner I had mentioned before?”

“ _ The Stygian does create some problems _ ,” Windu said. “ _ But there is nothing we can do about it at the moment. We’ll decide our course of action when you arrive at the Temple _ .”

And that was that.

As soon as the meeting was over, Obi-Wan felt his exhaustion sinking into his bones. So much had happened in such a short amount of time. The day wasn’t even over yet. He looked up at the commander and then at Waxer, the two having some sort of hushed conversation. He recognized this was a thing adults did when they were talking about a child who was in the same room. Normally, he’d be annoyed at the blatant exclusion but he was too tired to care. He couldn’t suppress his yawn and he sleepily rubbed the moisture from his eyes. That caught their attention.

“Are you alright... sir?” Waxer asked hesitantly.

“If you’re tired, you’re free to go ahead and rest. We can take care of everything,” the commander assured.

“I’m not tired,” he said stubbornly, shaking his head as his sleepiness tried to take over.

“Sir, you’re clearly nodding off. You should go to sleep before you fall over and knock yourself out.”

Obi-Wan frowned but decided that he couldn’t argue, especially when he could barely keep his eyes opened. “Okay,” he sighed.

“Boil, take him back to his quarters.”

Another one of the soldiers ( _ clones, they were called clones _ ) approached him and hesitantly guided him out of the command room with a hand on his back. “C’mon, tiny general.”

He felt like he should be offended by that quip but he didn’t have it in him to care.

Before he left, he heard the commander speak. “Even as a child, the general is a stubborn bastard.”

* * *

The second his head hit the pillow, Obi-Wan was out like a light. He didn’t want to think about what was going on or what was to come, he just wanted to rest. As he slept, his consciousness was quickly thrust into a dream. He was at the Temple, playing a game with his crèche-mates under the soft glow of the lamps. It felt more like a memory than a dream. He remembers doing this, having fun with his friends, getting to be a child. In his dream, he looked around at the other younglings, grinning as the ball was passed to him. He held it in his hands, turning to toss it to the next person. He froze. In the corner of the room was an ominous, black mass. At first, he thought it was just a large shadow. But then it started to grow, darkening the room. He looked to the other children, to see if they saw what he was seeing, but their faces—where were their faces? He stepped back as a skull emerged from the darkness, a thin, black claw reaching towards his own face. It was the Stygian. His arm ached from where he was bit. He tried to move away but he found himself paralyzed. His hands were trembling. He dropped the ball.

His eyes flew open. Obi-Wan was lying on his back, staring up at the dark ceiling of his room. He was panting and drenched in sweat, his Padawan braid sticking to the side of his face. A nightmare? If he had been dreaming, then why was this tightness still in his chest? This fear. He looked down to the foot of his bed and saw it. The Stygian was hovering in front of him. He immediately rolled off the bed and sprang to his feet, igniting his lightsaber. But the second his blade illuminated the room, the creature had vanished. Obi-Wan quickly turned on the light. There was nothing.

He didn’t realize his hands were shaking until he deactivated his lightsaber.

Was any of that real? Was he just hallucinating, recovering from a nightmare? Obi-Wan should meditate his fears away, like his master taught him to. But he didn’t want to be alone. He didn’t feel safe enough to let his guard down when he was alone. He left the room, stepping into the bright hallway. He was briefly acknowledged by a few clones as he wandered. He didn’t know where he was going, he just needed to be somewhere with people. He was still a little tired. His nightmare didn’t let him sleep much. But he didn’t feel like sleeping again. Not after that experience.

“General? I mean- er, Obi-Wan?” came a voice from behind.

He flinched, so immersed in his own thoughts that he hadn’t sensed someone approaching him. He turned around quickly and relaxed when he saw it was just the commander. The clone knelt down on one knee to talk to him face to face.

“Is everything alright? I thought you went to sleep?”

Obi-Wan looked down nervously. “I... I did go to sleep,” he said vaguely.

“Did something happen?”

He fiddled with the sleeves of his robe. He didn’t want to say he had a nightmare. He didn’t want to be treated like a child. But he didn’t want to lie either. So he chose not to answer. The commander sighed and it reminded him of his master, the way that he would sigh when Obi-Wan would do something he didn’t approve of. It made him feel guilty.

“I can see that you’re still tired. Let’s get you back to your room, yeah?”

His eyes widened slightly and he shook his head. “No!” he exclaimed in alarm before realizing he had shouted and shrank back shyly. “No, I... I don’t want to go back to sleep.”

The commander’s expression softened and he ran a gloved hand through his short hair. “Alright,” he sighed again. “You can come with me to the barracks. I’m sure the others are playing cards or something. That’ll give you something to do.”

Obi-Wan looked up at him as he stood up and let him lead the way down the corridor. He felt out of place. Like he was bothering him. He should’ve just stayed in his room, no matter how scared he was. The last thing he wanted to be was a burden. They came to a stop in front of a door and the commander opened it. Inside, there were other clones. Some were lounging on their sides, reading something on their datapads. Others were gathered on the floor between the bunks, playing some sort of game with dice, gambling ration bars. There was music playing in the background. As soon as the clones saw the commander, however, they all stopped what they were doing and quickly got to their feet, standing at attention.

“At ease, boys,” he told them, an amused almost-smile upon his face. “In fact, you have room for two more?”

* * *

Obi-Wan found their game extremely confusing. He sat out during the first round to watch how it worked but every time he thought he figured out the rules, something would happen that completely contradicted what he managed to gather on his own. But watching the clones interact helped to put him at ease. He felt safe with them. He looked up at their faces. They seemed tired, but also cheerful, glad to be alive another day to be spending this time with their brothers. Waxer was cheerfully putting his winnings into his helmet where there was a drawing of a little Twi’lek girl on it. The clone, nicknamed Boil, was arguing the legitimacy of a move made by another clone called Crys. The commander sat beside him, chuckling quietly at the antics of the others as he rolled his own dice into the middle of their circle.

Then their comms went off. The commander answered his first, expression sobering. “This is Cody, what’s going on?” he asked.

“Sir, a Separatist ship has just appeared out of hyperspace! We need you on the bridge!”

That got everyone’s attention and they quickly scrambled to their feet, putting their armor back on and tossing the dice aside. Obi-Wan stood up as well, sticking to the commander’s side as everyone rushed out of the barracks.

He knelt down in front of him again, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You should return to your room, Obi-Wan. You’ll be safer there.”

He thought back to the Stygian standing at the foot of his bed, unmoving and just watching. He shook his head. “I can help fight! I know how to pilot a starfighter.”

“No. It’s too dangerous. It’s my mission to protect you and keep you safe so you are to stay here,” the commander turned to a clone passing by. “Wooley, you’re in charge of keeping the general safe. Make sure he doesn’t try to go out there on his own or at all.”

“Yes sir,” the clone said. 

Obi-Wan frowned and the commander sighed. “It’s for your own good.”

Then he ran off to the bridge. Obi-Wan looked up at Wooley who stood there awkwardly before speaking. “Let’s get you to somewhere safe, then, sir.”

They turned to head back to his quarters when suddenly an explosion shook the ship. Obi-Wan stumbled and Wooley reached out to stabilize him. More clones were running down the corridor, rushing towards the hangar. The lights flickered and he could hear people shouting orders at one another. Already there were clones being carried off to the infirmary. It was at this moment that Obi-Wan really understood that he was in the middle of a war. 

There was another explosion which caused the ship to tilt a little and he fell into the wall with a grunt. He was terrified. He’d never been in a battle like this before. He never knew it could be this unpredictable, that in this situation he could die in an instant. He felt the urge to do  _ something _ to help, to be useful. But what could he do? He had no experience. He couldn’t use a blaster or take down a Separatist ship on his own. He was just a burden.

He heard Wooley’s comms go off and the clone hastily answered. “This is Wooley.”

“There’s been a change of plans,” it was the commander. “You, me, and Trapper are evacuating the general to a nearby planet while Captain Gregor will hold off the Separatists until General Skywalker arrives with reinforcements. Get him to the hangar now and we’ll meet you there.”

“Yes, sir.” Wooley turned to Obi-Wan then and helped him to stand upright again. “It’s time to go, sir.”

He was led down the corridor, the same way the other clones had gone. He felt guilt in his chest, a companion for his fear. He was abandoning the ship, leaving thousands of men behind to possibly die. He forced himself to push those feelings away. He couldn’t afford to feel afraid when all of these clones were ready to sacrifice themselves for him. They reached the hangar which was bustling and chaotic as everyone ran back and forth, dragging bodies from burning crafts, launching starfighters into the battlefield. Wooley grabbed his arm and quickly pulled him towards a ship and Obi-Wan struggled to keep up, tripping over his own feet. Once inside, he quickly secured himself as Wooley started up the ship. Behind him, Commander Cody and another clone (who he assumed was Trapper) entered the cockpit.

“Engines are ready, sir,” Wooley said from the pilot’s seat.

“Get us out of here, then.”

The ship was lifted off the ground and they shot out of the hangar. The second they were out, Obi-Wan was able to see the battle through the window. He was mesmerized by the flashing light of the blaster fire, the explosions being caused by both sides. So many lives being lost so quickly.

“Fly close to the ship, we don’t want to be detected,” the commander ordered.

Obi-Wan felt a shift as they flew lower and his view changed. He was now looking at a planet pale green in color. He’d never been to a planet outside the Core Worlds before. At the corner of his eye, he saw something coming towards them. A stray enemy fighter.

“Kark! We’ve been spotted!” the commander exclaimed as Wooley swerved the ship to the side, avoiding the blaster fire. “Trapper, man the guns.”

“On it.”

Obi-Wan gripped the arms of his seat tightly, watching the fighter pursue them. He could... he could try to use the Force. Steer the ship off course. If he could just concentrate on it... A blast hit the side of their ship and one of the wings was on fire. He realized that there wasn’t a droid on the ship. 

“Commander, we’ve been hit!”

“Just keep flying towards the planet!”

Obi-Wan drew his knees to his chest, closing his eyes and covering his ears. He couldn’t concentrate with all the noise. He couldn’t focus. His mind drifted to the burning wing, to the flagship they had just abandoned. To the desperation he could sense from the clones around him. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Just a small ripple can create a wave. He focused on the starfighter behind them, on the droid piloting the ship. Just a small distraction, something to make it hesitate, even for a nanosecond. There was a brief break in the fighter’s consecutive shots, but it was enough for Trapper to get through and deal the final blow that blew up the ship.

Their victory was short lived, however, as the wing from their own ship exploded and they went spiraling to the planet’s surface.

* * *

Obi-Wan woke up to smoke filling his lungs. He coughed, moving his head to the side as he tried to open his eyes. He was pretty sure he was bleeding, something warm and wet was trickling down the side of his face. There was something on top of him that kept the rest of him from moving.

“Obi-Wan!” he heard someone calling for him through his haze.

The metal that had trapped him was quickly removed and he just barely registered a sharp pain in his right leg. It was most definitely broken. He groaned when he was lifted, someone was carrying him bridal-style out of the wreckage.

He fell unconscious again.

* * *

When he came to, his head hurt a little less and he was able to make things out more clearly. He was lying on his back, looking up at the night sky. He smelled something burning, heard the crackling of a campfire. Obi-Wan turned his head and saw the commander with his helmet off, talking to Wooley and Trapper, all three of them looking a little worse for wear. He shifted slightly and winced as pain shot up his right side. He looked down at his leg and noticed the makeshift splint made from sticks attached to him.

His movements caught the clones’ attention and suddenly there was a hand helping him sit up. Wooley offered him a flask of water which he drank from eagerly, desperate to wash away the taste of ash on his tongue.

“How are you feeling?” the commander asked when he was done, watching him with blatant concern.

Obi-Wan wiped the moisture on his mouth with the back of his hand. “I’ve experienced worse,” he fibbed, trying to sound tougher than he felt.

It brought a smile to their faces and it made him feel a little better about his predicament. A silence fell between them and Obi-Wan stared into the fire, gripping the cloth of his robes tightly.

“What do we do?” he asked suddenly. “We just wait for someone to rescue us?”

“That’s all we can do,” the commander replied. “The communications on the ship are still intact but we can’t risk sending any transmissions at the moment, not when the Separatists are still at large.”

Obi-Wan frowned. “How long do you think we’ll be stuck here?”

“I’m not sure. A few days at least. We have enough ration bars for now. We can also take turns hunting.”

_ What if we’re stuck here forever? _ Obi-Wan caught himself thinking.  _ What if they never find us? What if the Separatists get to us first? What if we run out of food and we starve to death? What if _ \- He dismissed those thoughts quickly. His master would disapprove if he caught him wondering such things. He had to be hopeful.

“Do we at least know where we are?” he asked.

“No, sir. There was no time to read the name of the planet and the scanner’s busted,” Wooley answered.

“So we don’t know whether this planet is inhabited or not?”

“No, sir.”

There was an eerie rustle in the grass. Obi-Wan realized they were sitting in an open field with nothing to protect them except for their weapons and whatever was left of their ship. They were in as much danger as they were while under attack on the flagship. Only this time, they didn’t know what they would be facing. As if sensing his worry, the commander placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Why don’t you get some more rest? We’ll keep watch.”

Sleep didn’t sound too appealing, especially when they could be attacked at any moment. But there wasn’t much else for him to do besides worry. And he’s had about enough of that. Obi-Wan sighed and carefully laid down on his side, pulling his robes tighter around himself.

* * *

Not much happened for a while. The four of them would rest, eat, consider sending out a transmission before deciding not to, and the cycle would repeat. Obi-Wan got to know his protectors a little better, talking to whoever was still awake while the others slept. Trapper told him stories about various battles they had been in, giving him an idea of what his future self was like. He never imagined that he could be a well-respected general. Wooley seemed to have a similar respect for him, telling him about a time when his future self didn’t hesitate to jump in and save his life. Obi-Wan was glad that at least his heroic (albeit reckless) tendencies stayed with him to adulthood. He and the commander, however, did not talk much initially. Every time he’d tried to start up a conversation, it died quickly when he received short, vague answers from the clone. He wondered if the commander did not like him.

“I’m sorry,” Obi-Wan said one night while Trapper and Wooley were sound asleep.

The commander looked to him in surprise and confusion. “What for?”

“I can’t imagine that you enjoy having to look after me. I’ve been nothing but a burden to you all.”

“That’s not true. You’re not a burden,” he said earnestly, sitting directly in front of him. “It’s our duty to keep you safe and I promise you that we don’t hate it. You’re more important than you realize.”

No one has ever said that to him before. Obi-Wan never considered himself important. He was found by the Order when he was three years old, almost too old to join. Even then, it was almost too late for him to become a Padawan when he was signed up to join the AgriCorps when no master wanted him. It wasn’t until he saved Master Jinn’s life that he was even considered. So to be told that he was important... it made his chest feel warm. He was happy.

“Thank you, commander,” he said softly.

“You can call me Cody.”

“Cody,” he echoed and he noticed how the clone smiled at that.

After that, they were able to talk more comfortably to each other. Cody seemed to really enjoy talking about his future self. There was always a fond look in his eyes whenever he recounted a time when he’d lost his lightsaber. He sometimes wondered if his older self would look at Cody with those same eyes.

* * *

Time went on irregularly. He wasn’t sure if hours had passed or days. Had they been stranded on that planet for a week or three days? Sometimes it feels like time moved quickly, the sun burning high above them and then suddenly the moon was carrying the night. Other times, it was like the day would never end. Just endless heat bearing down on them in the field, exposed to the elements. And it wasn’t always hot. There would be rain and hail and hurricanes. Those days, they’d have to hide in the wreckage of their destroyed ship. Even then it didn’t provide much cover.

Eventually they ran out of ration bars. There was never enough for all four of them anyway. Trapper went hunting first, searching for anything they could possibly eat. There wasn’t much. He found a few berries but hadn’t been sure if they were poisonous or not so decided not to pick them. He managed to catch a rodent when it jumped out and attacked him but even then it was very small and when they cooked it, there wasn’t much for them to split. At one point, Wooley went out to look for a village or any sign of civilization, but the fields went on for miles with no people in sight and he couldn’t risk going too far without getting lost. 

Obi-Wan’s leg was healing well. It still hurt a little when he moved it around but at least the pain wasn’t so unbearable anymore. Cody had found him a large stick to use as a crutch and he was able to walk around on his own. He learned new things from the clones as well. They taught him bits of Mando’a, a language that interested him but he never really had the patience to learn. They showed him how to set up a trap to catch another rodent and how to skin it with a sharp rock when they didn’t have any blades to do it with. He taught them some things as well. He told them about the Force, how it resides in everything and it connects them all like an infinite web of energy. They meditated with him, something that he had grown used to doing with his master.

He wondered where his master was in this future, if they had become good friends, if he was proud of the man he will become. He wondered what happened to his future self when he was teleported to this time. Did they switch places? Was he sent to the past? He had no way of knowing. So to make up for what he did not know, he continued to ask for stories about his older self, stories that the clones happily provided him and he’d often dream about his future, about being that charming and revered Jedi Master he’d always wanted to be.

He didn’t mind that they were stuck on this mostly barren planet, although he thought that perhaps he should mind. But it wasn’t all bad. He made new friends, he learned things that he was sure his master wouldn’t have taught him unless it was absolutely necessary. And it was peaceful. No Separatists had shown up yet, but that meant there were no Republic rescue ships either. And he didn’t have any nightmares about any Stygians either. It was relatively quiet.

But all things must come to an end, even the good.

Obi-Wan had grown used to the heat of the planet. He found himself lying in the grass one afternoon, just letting the sun warm his skin. It made him feel lazy, happy. That must have been why he hadn’t noticed the oncoming ambush until it happened. He didn’t think they  _ could _ be ambushed. There was nothing for them to hide behind. There was just grass and small bushes. But these bandits were excellent at camouflage. Cody had immediately rolled over to him, scooping him into his arms to move him out of harm’s way. Trapper and Wooley had their blasters in hand, shooting wildly at their attackers. Cody ran towards what remained of their ship, the only cover they had. Obi-Wan watched the bandits as they began to surround them quickly.

He clutched Cody’s armor tightly, ignoring the way that his heart was pounding in his chest, ignoring how  _ terrified _ he felt. This was different than when they were being attacked on the ship. This time, there were only four of them against a whole group of bandits. They were vastly outnumbered.

There was a blast and a grunt and suddenly he and Cody were falling to the ground. Obi-Wan looked down and saw smoke and a black smear on the commander’s leg.  _ I have to do something _ , he thought as he saw a bandit approach them, pressing the nozzle of their blaster against the back of Cody’s head. His hands moved on their own as he grabbed his lightsaber and ignited it, the blade narrowly missing Cody’s side as it sank into the flesh of the bandit. Obi-Wan’s hands were shaking as he watched red bloom around his saber embedded in the bandit’s chest, as he witnessed their eyes glazing over, as he felt life leave their body through the Force. He had never killed anyone before. He’d never... he felt sick.

His lightsaber deactivated and the bandit’s body crumpled to the ground. There were hands on his shoulders. Cody’s.

“Look at me,” he heard him say. “Don’t look at them, look at me.”

Above them, he heard a ship break through the atmosphere. One of the clones (Trapper, maybe, he did not remember,) shouted that General Skywalker was there to rescue them. But Obi-Wan couldn’t stop staring at the bandit he had killed. The Jedi were peacekeepers. They didn’t... violence was frowned upon. Killing other life forms was discouraged. He knew that sometimes, for the greater good, they’d have to... take lives. But he’d never...

Cody pulled him close, holding his small, trembling frame. He realized that he was crying, the gravity of their situation finally hitting him. They’d almost died. So many times, they’d almost died. They crashed, they starved, they were attacked. Is this what war is like? Fighting to survive every day until you couldn’t do it anymore? Watching your friends suffer, no one sure who will make it out of this alive? His master had told him that war was never something to glorify and now he felt that he really understands why he had said that.

Obi-Wan’s lightsaber was a cool weight in his hands. He didn’t want to look at it, afraid that he’d see the blood of the bandit he’d killed. “I killed them,” his voice was muffled by the armor.

“It’s okay.”

“But it’s not,” he sobbed. “I killed someone. I killed them. I felt them  _ die _ .”

Cody hushed him gently, his gloved hand cradling the back of his head. “You did what you had to do. I know it’s not easy, but I would rather it be you still breathing than some bandit who tried to kill us both.”

Obi-Wan dropped his lightsaber and hugged Cody, his tears warm as they slipped down his dirt-covered cheeks. Across the field he could make out two Jedi and some clones rushing towards them, dealing with the last of the bandits with a disturbing ease. One of the Jedi, a tall man with long hair and a scar over his right eye, paused in front of them. He took in the corpse on the ground, the way Cody was hugging his shaking body. He knelt in front of them.

“Obi-Wan?”

He sniffled, wiping at his tears. “Y-yes?” his voice quivered slightly.

“My name is Anakin Skywalker. We’ve come to rescue you.”

His relief washed over him like a wave. “Thank you.”

* * *

On  _ the Resolute _ , Obi-Wan was quickly sent to the med bay. They stuck him in bacta for a few hours, an experience that was most unpleasant for him. When he was finally allowed out of the tank, the medics still kept him in the infirmary. He found he didn’t like being stuck in bed, surrounded by the desperate thoughts of wounded soldiers, feeling useless as he waited for his health to return to him. He wore a loose medical gown that made him feel exposed, vulnerable. Beside him, his lightsaber was laid on the bedside table. He knew it was there, even if he didn’t look at it. He couldn’t bring himself to. He still felt haunted by what he had done. His dreams were plagued, not by the Stygian, but by the lifeless eyes of the bandit, staring at him from the ground, their blood covering his hands and his Jedi robes. He talked to the medics about it, asked them how they handled it when they had to watch someone die. The answer was not so simple.

“You learn to compartmentalize it,” one of them had said. “You have to. There’s no time to really  _ think _ about it. And it never really becomes easy. You just do what you have to in order to survive.”

So that’s what he did. He shoved his feelings into the Force, out of his reach. He didn’t have the time to be thinking about it.

His time in the infirmary wasn’t lonely, thankfully. He received visits from Waxer, Trapper, and Wooley who all shared their concerns for him. Cody even came to visit him, telling him that they might not see much of each other when they got to Coruscant, but he would always be there to help him. The commander leant him General Kenobi’s comm.

“For emergencies,” he’d said.

Besides the clones, he was also visited by their Jedi rescuers. He remembered Anakin from the meeting with the Jedi Council before the whole attack happened. He was a lot taller in person, and a bit intimidating. The Togruta girl who had been with him was his Padawan, Ahsoka, who seemed very excited to meet him.

“It’s weird to think Master Kenobi ever  _ was _ a kid. He’s just so serious all the time. And, well, old,” she said to Anakin when she thought he was asleep.

“I know. I first met him when he was still a Padawan, but even then he was already an adult.”

“I won’t lie, he is kinda adorable.”

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear you say that.”

Obi-Wan rolled over then, staring at them with narrowed eyes. “I don’t really appreciate being talked about like I’m not here,” he frowned at them.

Ahsoka appeared embarrassed at having been caught. “Sorry.”

Anakin crouched beside his bed. “How’re you feeling?”

“Better,” he replied, sitting up slowly and scooting up so that his back was resting against the pillow. “I think my leg is pretty much healed.”

“That’s good. We should be arriving at Coruscant soon, so just relax.”

He wondered if Coruscant changed at all in the future or if it would be just like he remembered. “Thank you, Master Skywalker.”

“Please, just call me Anakin. It’s weird hearing you call me anything else.”

Obi-Wan tilted his head curiously. “Before, during the holo meeting with the Council, you called me your former master.”

“Technically, you are. Or you will be. In the future. Well, in  _ your _ future. You become my master, yes,” Anakin explained. 

He let that information sink in. He will become a teacher. He will be responsible for a Padawan. “Am I... Will I be a good master?” 

He tried not to sound too hopeful, but he really wanted to know. Anakin hesitated a moment and that was almost enough to make him regret asking. But then he smiled at him.

“Yes,” Anakin answered. “You will be a great master.”

His response was genuine and it made Obi-Wan’s chest warm. All these people had so much good to say about him. Perhaps he was wrong to feel so insecure. “What about Master Jinn?” he asked eagerly. “Do we become good friends in my future?”

Beside him, Ahsoka appeared sullen. Anakin opened his mouth to answer him but was interrupted by his comm going off. He sighed and answered it. “This is Skywalker, what is it?”

“ _ We’ve arrived at Coruscant, sir. Your ship is ready for transport _ .”

“Sounds like that’s our cue to go,” Ahsoka said.

Anakin stood up. “Let’s get a medic in here to do a final check up on you and then we’ll leave.”

* * *

The Council did not keep him for long. After he had explained, again, how he ended up in the future, they suggested that perhaps he should return to Tangar in order to go back to his own time.

“But there’s so many lakes, how do I know which one to choose?” Obi-Wan had asked.

“Guide you, the Force will,” Yoda assured. “Prepare for travel, you and Skywalker must. Better it is, the sooner you leave.”

And then he was dismissed just like that. He was unsure about leaving so soon. He still hadn’t found the Stygian. And there was so much he wanted to learn about himself, about how he became such a great Jedi and what he needed to do to be that man. When he left the Council chambers, Anakin was waiting for him.

“Did they tell you about going back to Tangar?” he asked as they walked together down the hall.

“Yes.”

Anakin glanced at him. “But you’re not happy about it.”

He shook his head. “I’m worried about the Stygian. Just because I go back, doesn’t mean that it will. And I can’t just leave empty-handed.”

Anakin hummed in contemplation and Obi-Wan thought that he looked very clever then. “Well, we do have some time before I  _ absolutely _ have to take you back. We could do some investigating.”

“Really?” he tried not to sound too eager. “You’d help me with this?”

“Of course. I don’t really like the idea of this strange creature roaming around anyway.”

Obi-Wan smiled. “Then perhaps we could start in the Archives?”

* * *

This Jocasta Nu wasn’t too different from the Jocasta of his time. Except now she was the Chief Librarian rather than a member of the Council. She looked at him with familiarity and a hint of sadness.

“I had heard Master Kenobi had somehow been replaced with his past self, but I did not think it was really true,” she said.

Obi-Wan bowed slightly and offered a small, childish grin. “It’s good to see you, Master Nu. You don’t look a day over forty.”

Her pale cheeks turned rosy. “Oh, you were always a charmer, weren’t you?” she chuckled. “How can I help you today?”

Anakin watched the exchange with wide but amused eyes.

“Could you help us find some information about Stygians, please?” Obi-Wan asked politely.

“Of course, my dear. It’ll be just a moment.”

It turns out there wasn’t a lot of information about Stygians. There were exactly three files on them. One was a children’s tale about the creatures portrayed as “genies,” something that wasn’t quite relevant to their investigation. The next file was rather short and provided information about where Stygians were from, their general lifespan, and known abilities. The last file was written in a strange language he did not recognize and depicted illustrations of runes with long passages that he assumed described the meaning of them.

“This text is from the journal of a Rodian explorer,” Master Nu explained.

“I can ask Senator Amidala if we can borrow C-3PO to translate this for us. I’m sure she’s still on Coruscant,” Anakin said.

Obi-Wan nodded. “Then I’ll stay here and see if I can find anything else useful.”

While left alone, he curiously read the children’s tale, scrolling through the text with interest. The story was entertaining, to say the least. Despite the inaccurate depiction of the creature’s appearance and the fact that the author believed they would grant adventurers three wishes after releasing it from its container, it wasn’t completely useless. The story also described runes similar to those illustrated in the journal entries, a connection that helped him to remember there had also been runes on the jar the Stygian had arrived in. He just didn’t know how he needed to apply the runes. If they could get the Rodese text translated, then they would have a way to capture the prisoner!

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he sensed something strange in the Force. Obi-Wan looked up from his screen and noticed that it had grown darker around him, which was odd because he didn’t think he’d been in the Archives for more than an hour. A chill ran up his spine as he felt something like a cool breeze brush across his back. The fear he felt in his chest was familiar, like when he’d had that nightmare on  _ the Negotiator _ or when he first fought Varo Skhan on Tangar.

A large, black claw hovered over his shoulder and he stopped breathing, he couldn’t even turn his head. He felt as paralyzed as he had been in his dream. The Stygian was behind him. He didn’t know what to do, he couldn’t  _ move _ . The claw came dangerously close to his neck and his heart skipped a beat. There was a cool press against his skin, right underneath his jaw. He bit back a hiss of pain as the claw cut a line, nothing too deep, but enough to draw blood. The Stygian uttered a sound like a door slowly creaking open. 

Obi-Wan slowly moved his hand over to his lightsaber. If the claw was able to cut him, it must be solid. Unfortunately, he wasn’t subtle enough, because Varo Skhan quickly caught on to what he was doing and grabbed him by the throat, lifting him out of his chair. He couldn’t breathe. He gripped at the twig-like arm connected to the claw, desperately trying to yank it away.

The door burst open.

“Obi-Wan!”

The Stygian slammed him to the ground and he gasped in pain. A horrible screech came from the creature as it directed its attention to Anakin, a droid, and Jocasta Nu. It tilted its skull as it regarded a jar underneath Master Nu’s arm and it hissed at them before releasing Obi-Wan and disappearing into the shadows. He coughed and wheezed on the ground, rolling onto his side as he gingerly touched his neck. He could imagine the bruises already forming. Anakin rushed to his side, lightsaber ignited as he looked around for Varo Skhan.

“Are you alright?” he asked, deactivating his weapon.

Anakin touched his shoulder and Obi-Wan instinctively grabbed his hand. He was trembling, still recovering from the fear that had taken over his body. He released him quickly.

“I’m fine,” he said, voice hoarse from being choked and thrown around. He ignored the concern in Anakin’s expression as he turned to Jocasta. “Master Nu, what’s that jar for?”

“I thought that it would be useful to you in capturing your prisoner.”

“Thank you, master. It’ll be very helpful.”

Anakin shifted his attention to the droid that had followed them into the library. “Threepio, can you please translate these Rodese texts?”

“Oh, of course, Master Skywalker. Just give me a moment, please,” the droid said as he waddled over to the still illuminated screen.

Obi-Wan stood up with Anakin’s help, the older Jedi holding him up by the arm as he used a desk to stable himself with his free hand. “The runes are an imperative factor in the capture of the Stygian. If we can get C-3PO to translate how we need to apply the runes to the jar, then I think there’s a good chance we can catch it.”

“You can worry about catching it after you take a trip to the infirmary,” Anakin said sternly. “I can see the blood on your chin and you’re not hiding your wince every time you speak very well.”

“I’ll be fine,” Obi-Wan insisted stubbornly.

“Yes, I know you will be fine,  _ after _ you see a healer.”

He frowned but knew that if he kept arguing, it would get them nowhere.

“I would be happy to escort you to the infirmary,” Master Nu volunteered. “Just to make sure you don’t get distracted on your way there.”

“I’ll come to you once Threepio has finished translating the journal. If you get a pass from the healer, we can start hunting for that Stygian right after.”

Obi-Wan sighed. “Alright. I’ll go.”

* * *

His visit to the infirmary did not last very long. A healer rubbed a little bit of bacta on his cut and gave him some tea to soothe his throat. He was told that the bruises would heal on their own and that he should avoid shouting or speaking loudly for a day or two. Obi-Wan rested for a little while, but it was hard. He was afraid to be alone now, especially since the most recent Stygian attacks happened when he was alone. There was a single medical droid in the room, at least, but even that did little to ease his nerves.

Eventually, Anakin did come like he said he would. He was relieved when he entered the room and he offered a small smile as he held his cup of tea, now lukewarm. 

“Master Nu and I managed to paint the runes onto this tiny jar,” he said, sitting on the bed beside him. “I hope that we did it right.”

“We’ll find out soon enough,” Obi-Wan assured, his voice quiet.

Anakin offered the jar to him and he set his tea aside before accepting it, holding it in his hands and studying the painted runes. He wanted to talk to Anakin more, wanted to ask about his future while he still could. He wanted to know what happened to his master, why Ahsoka had seemed sad when he mentioned his name.

“You must be very close to this Senator Amidala if they let you borrow their droid,” he said instead, tracing his finger over the runes.

Anakin made a weird choking sound, even though he hadn’t been drinking or eating anything. “Yes, we’re-she’s a good friend.”

Obi-Wan wasn’t stupid. He could tell when someone said “friend” but clearly meant something else. “You don’t have to lie to me,” he said. “I know that not everyone is immune to love. It’s something that happens, whether it be platonic or romantic.”

“You know the Code, Obi-Wan, attachments are forbidden.”

“I know. But... I wonder if all attachments are truly dangerous. To love someone can’t possibly be that perilous. Wouldn’t it be more dangerous to repress those feelings than to act on them?”

Anakin blinked at him in surprise.

“Did... did I say something wrong?” Obi-Wan frowned.

“No! No, it’s just... I never expected you to say that.”

“Why wouldn’t I say that? Aren’t there people that I love in my future? Like Commander Cody, for example-”

“Wait, why  _ Cody  _ of all people?”

“Oh. I thought it was obvious.”

“Thought  _ what _ was obvious?”

Anakin’s comm went off and the Jedi Knight made a frustrated sound before answering. “This is Skywalker.”

“ _ Ah, Anakin. I heard you’ve returned to Coruscant finally _ ,” said a voice Obi-Wan did not recognize.

“Chancellor Palpatine, I wasn’t expecting you to call me.”

Palpatine? He didn’t know who this Palpatine was but he supposed it made sense that Kirames Kaj was no longer the Supreme Chancellor at this point.

“ _ Yes, well, I was hoping you could come to my office. There are some things I’d like to discuss with you. _ ”

Anakin hesitated for only a second. “Yes, sir. I’ll be there soon.”

The call ended and there was an awkward silence. “I’m definitely going to find out what you meant by bringing up Cody when I get back,” Anakin said as he stood up.

Panic swelled in Obi-Wan’s chest but he resisted the urge to reach out for him. “Can I come with you?” he blurted. “I mean-I... I don’t want to be alone.”

He received a sympathetic look from the older Jedi. “Yeah, you can come with me. I’m sure it'll be fine.”

* * *

It was not, in fact, fine. The Chancellor definitely did not seem pleased that Anakin had brought him along, but somehow the Jedi Knight hadn’t even noticed. Or if he did, he didn’t show any sign of it. He wasn’t what Obi-Wan expected. He was an elderly man, someone that could easily be seen as a grandfather sort of figure. There was a politeness in the way his thin lips curled into a smile, but his displeasure was clear in his eyes.

“I see you’ve brought a young friend, Anakin,” Palpatine said, glancing at him suspiciously.

“Yes, I hope that’s alright. He’d just been injured so I wanted to keep an eye on him.”

The Chancellor hummed as he fixed him with a scrutinizing gaze. “I didn’t think Jedi were allowed to take on two Padawans at the same time. Or perhaps young Ahsoka has been promoted to Jedi Knight already?”

“Oh, no, he’s not my-this is Master Kenobi, sir,” Anakin clarified. “There was a situation with, um, time... travel.”

That caught the Chancellor’s interest. “Time travel?”

Obi-Wan didn’t like the look in his eyes. There was something off about him. He stepped a little closer to Anakin, staring warily at Palpatine.

“Yes. But I’m afraid that’s personal Jedi business, so I can’t talk too much about it.”

“How... curious.”

Obi-Wan didn’t like the way the Chancellor looked at him. Like a mad scientist who found their next test subject. Palpatine reached into his drawer and pulled out a tin. “We still have much to discuss, so please sit, have some candy,” he pushed the container to the edge of the desk, towards him.

He didn’t take any candy. Anakin sat down in one of the chairs and Obi-Wan followed suit. Then the Chancellor started talking about politics and his mind wandered. He was twelve. He had no interest in what the government did and didn’t do, even though his master told him that as the Jedi’s duty as negotiators it was important to know a little bit about politics. He found himself thinking about the Chancellor’s interest in time travel. At first, he didn’t think it was strange, he felt that anyone could be interested in time travel. But for some reason, he had a bad feeling about him. 

Anakin’s comm beeped. He looked down at his wrist with a frown. “Excuse me, sir. I have to take this,” he said and headed for the door.

Obi-Wan didn’t want to be left alone with the Chancellor, but he also didn’t want to make his suspicions obvious. If there was truly something sinister afoot, he had to figure out what it was. As soon as Anakin left, a tense silence settled into the room. Obi-Wan picked at a loose string at the end of his sleeve. Palpatine simply smiled at him and he pointedly averted his gaze. There was something about him that scared him more than the Stygian did. 

“Anakin mentioned that you were injured?” the Chancellor started conversationally.

Obi-Wan hesitated before nodding slowly. “I... got into a fight.”

It wasn’t really a lie, but it also wasn’t the whole truth.

“A fight? I do hope you’re alright.”

“Why do you care?” he blurted. He didn’t mean to say that.

There was something akin to curiosity in Palpatine’s eyes. “I can see you don’t trust me, my boy. I understand it must be strange, meeting someone who is not the Chancellor in your time but is in this one. I assure you, there is nothing you need to worry about. I care very much about the people in the Republic and that includes the Jedi.”

Obi-Wan didn’t believe him. He had no reason  _ not _ to believe him, but he couldn’t bury his suspicions either. “You say that you care about the Jedi, but you seem mostly interested in Anakin.”

“Well, he just happens to be a good friend of mine. I’ve known him since he was a child.”

“And what about him interested you so much that you decided to become his friend? There are plenty of Jedi on Coruscant you could have befriended, and yet you chose a child.”

“I don’t think you really have a say in this relationship, young Kenobi. You know nothing of this time or about my friendship with Anakin. You’re naive to think you could really argue against me.”

“I may not know much about this future, but I do know it’s suspicious when an elderly politician takes interest in a young boy, Jedi or not.”

Anakin walked in at that moment and the conversation fell silent.

“Sorry about that. Guess I forgot to let people know where I was going,” he said sheepishly. “Hopefully I didn’t miss too much.”

“Not at all,” Palpatine smiled and Obi-Wan thought he looked like a devil, radiating a sinister charm. “Do you think you could give Anakin and I a moment to talk in private, young one?”

He didn’t want to leave. He wanted to know what he was going to say to Anakin. He wanted to know what he wanted with him. He considered refusing before he felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder, he turned to Anakin with a frown but ultimately, his resolve crumbled.

He stood and bowed slightly before he left.

* * *

The ride back to the Temple was quiet. Anakin clearly seemed conflicted by whatever he had discussed with Palpatine and Obi-Wan didn’t know how to approach the subject. Soon, they were almost at the Temple. He decided to just go for it.

“What did you and the Chancellor talk about?”

There was a pause.

“Just Republic business.”

It was an obvious lie. Obi-Wan frowned. Was it really so bad that Anakin couldn’t tell him the truth? He thought... masters were someone you could confide in, someone you could tell your troubles to. He knew that technically, his current appearance didn’t reflect the master that Anakin knew, but he still felt that it was his responsibility to help his future Padawan.

“I don’t think I like the Chancellor,” he said suddenly.

That seemed to surprise Anakin. “Why? What’s wrong with him?”

“He... he just seems off to me, that’s all. When I’m around him, I sense something evil.”

“Maybe you’re just imagining things. The Chancellor is the least evil person I know.”

“Well, maybe you’re just too biased to see it.”

That caught Anakin off guard. “Excuse me?”

“You think he’s your friend, it’s harder to see someone for who they really are when you’re close to them. But if you really think about it, doesn’t he seem suspicious?”

“I think that you don’t know what you’re talking about. You don’t know what the Chancellor has done for the Republic.”

“Maybe I don’t, but I do know that Master Qui-Gon told me to trust in the Force, and the Force is telling me that the Chancellor is evil.”

“Trusting in the Force didn’t do any good for Qui-Gon,” Anakin snapped.

Obi-Wan stared at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

There was a pause.

“Qui-Gon is dead,” he said. “Has been for the past thirteen years.”

He felt grief in the pit of his stomach. “What?”

Anakin stopped the speeder in front of the Temple and turned to him. There was rage in his expression.

“Qui-Gon died on Naboo thirteen years ago. He found me and promised to train me but he was killed by a Sith lord. You were there when he died, but you were too late to save him,” he growled, clearly choosing his words to make sure they hurt. “The only reason why you became my master was not because you wanted to, but it was because you made a promise to Qui-Gon. Honestly, I don’t think you were even prepared to take on a Padawan. You, who were freshly knighted and so desperately wanting to please the Council, that you neglected your student. You failed to teach me things that I truly needed to learn. It’s your fault that I can’t even control my emotions, that the Council sees me as inadequate, that my mother died. I said that you become a great master, but that was a lie. What did you ever teach me besides the failure of the Jedi? Besides the flaws in your methods? So what if the Chancellor is evil? At least he cares about what I do, about what I need.”

Obi-Wan stared at him, eyes watering. Did Anakin really feel this way or was he just upset? Will he really become as horrible a master as he says he does? His throat felt tight.

“All my life, I thought that no one wanted me,” he started, willing his voice not to tremble. “I was given to the order when I was three, my crèche-master considered me a menace, and I was almost shipped off to the AgriCorps because no one wanted me as a Padawan. But Master Qui-Gon chose me and I thought that I would finally feel like I could belong, that maybe I am wanted after all. The clones told me that I become a respected Jedi General, I learned that I become a member of the High Council, my future self does all these amazing things that I’ve never imagined myself doing. But maybe none of that is true. If I’m not a good master then how can I be any of these other things?” He swallowed down a sob. “I suppose that no matter what I do, I will never truly be wanted.”

Anakin’s anger slowly evaporated as he realized what he had said. But Obi-Wan didn’t stay to talk to him anymore. He exited the speeder, wiping his face with his sleeve as he marched into the Temple.

He ran deep into the building until eventually, he sat alone in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, legs crossed as though he was going to meditate, but he couldn’t. He kept thinking about what Anakin said. He didn’t want to let it get to him, but it did. It bothered him so much. He just felt so alone. Normally, he would think about consulting his master on his troubled feelings, but right now, he couldn’t even do that.

Qui-Gon dies. In his future, his master dies and he can’t help but wonder if it really is his fault. For a moment, he hated his future self. He hated what he would become, hated that he couldn’t be better. And then he let his hatred go. There’s no use hating what is to come when it has not happened to him yet. He still has time to change.

He sighed and folded his hands over his lap, feeling the tension leave his body as he released all his frustrations into the Force. He became so relaxed that he almost didn’t notice Anakin approach him. He came to him a lot sooner than he expected. In fact, he didn’t think that Anakin would come talk to him at all. He opened his eyes as the Jedi Knight sat cross-legged in front of him. He looked... guilty.

“I’m sorry,” Anakin couldn’t meet his eyes. “I shouldn’t have said those things to you. I was just angry, and I wasn’t thinking.”

Obi-Wan pulled at the grass beneath them, feeling the smooth blades between his fingers. “I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions about the Chancellor. I was just so sure that-”

“No, you were right,” Anakin interrupted. “I shouldn’t have been so quick to defend him, especially when he offered to teach me things related to the Dark Side.”

Obi-Wan’s eyes widened. “The Dark Side?”

The Jedi Knight nodded. “Yes. I have reason to suspect that the Chancellor is really a Sith Lord.”

“We should tell the Council then. Devise a plan to capture him, right? And the Senate! You should tell Senator Amidala about him. That way the Jedi would be justified in his arrest.”

“We’ll need to gather evidence against him first. I’m sure he wouldn’t confess his allegiance to the Sith outright,” Anakin pointed out.

“I have an idea, but we’ll have to discuss it with the Council first.”

Anakin stood and offered his hand to Obi-Wan. “Does this mean you forgive me?”

Obi-Wan accepted his hand. “I think that I can start to.”

* * *

They learned from Senator Amidala that the Chancellor had a meeting the following morning, so his office was empty when they returned to the Senate Building. They carefully searched his desk for anything physical that could possibly be used against him. There was nothing. Anakin suggested they look through Palpatine’s digital files but they were secured with a password.

“Great, now what are we supposed to do?”

“We just need a way to get into his files. We can find a computer terminal and a droid to do the job. It’ll have to be a really good droid because I have no doubt that those files will be encrypted.”

“I’ll tell Ahsoka to bring Artoo-”

Anakin’s comm went off and he quickly answered.

“ _ Ani _ ,” came a woman’s voice, Senator Amidala’s. “ _ The meeting ended earlier than expected. The Chancellor is on his way back to the office right now _ .”

Anakin swore. “You gotta hide.”

Obi-Wan panicked and dove behind the desk, hiding underneath it just as the doors opened and Palpatine walked into the room.

“Oh, Anakin, I wasn’t expecting you to visit me today.”

There was some shuffling as the Chancellor approached his desk. Obi-Wan’s heart was pounding so loudly, he was afraid everyone could hear it. But Anakin quickly intercepted him.

“Sorry, I heard that you were in a meeting today but I wanted to talk to you about your offer.”

Obi-Wan relaxed and fished a gadget out of his pocket: a small holobug. He had taken it as a precaution and had it connected to the Temple where the Council members and some trustworthy Senators were awaiting his transmission. He carefully used the Force to set the device on top of the desk, pointed at the Chancellor and Anakin.

“Ah. So you’ve decided to accept the offer to become my apprentice and learn the ways of the Dark Side?” Palpatine asked.

“Almost. I wanted to ask some questions first.”

“I would be happy to answer them, my boy.”

There was a pause and the sound of shuffling as they both sat down in front of the desk.

“Firstly, what would happen if I became your apprentice? Do I suddenly get more powerful and have the ability to finally end this war?”

“ _ When _ you become my apprentice, we will eradicate the Jedi who have only lied to you and caused you nothing but suffering. Once they are gone, the Republic will win this war and will evolve into the Galactic Empire where I will rule as its Emperor and you will be the hammer that enforces my will.”

“But how can you be so sure that the Republic will win?”

The Chancellor laughed. “Who do you think was really behind the Separatists? Dooku? The Trade Federation? No, they were just fools following orders.”

“You were the one who started this war?”

“Technically, yes. I gave the order. I built the army. All these clones, made to heed my every word. They can’t even defy me, not with the little chips Dooku had the Kaminoans install. I just have to say three words and the Jedi will be no more.”

Obi-Wan thought about his newfound friendship with the clones. He thought about Cody. It broke his heart, thinking about them having to do something against their will.

“But why? What was the point of starting all of this?”

“Trust,” Palpatine stated simply. “I cannot start a great empire without the trust of those who have the power to start it. I needed the Republic to feel desperate enough to do anything to save themselves, even if that meant sacrificing their precious democracy.”

Obi-Wan felt his back starting to ache as he crouched and he tried to shift a little to relieve it. But he overestimated the distance between his head and the underside of the desk and he bumped his head quite loudly. The silence that followed was deafening. And then a lightsaber was ignited. 

“Chancellor, you are under arrest for crimes against the Republic.”

Obi-Wan took that as his cue to crawl out from under the desk, activating his own lightsaber. The plan had taken a direction he hadn’t expected but there was no turning back now.

“Is this really what you want, Anakin? What have the Jedi ever done for you? I can give you  _ unlimited power _ !”

Anakin seemed to hesitate. But before anyone could say anything, the shadows in the room suddenly increased. The air felt colder, and it wasn’t just because of the Dark Side of the Force emanating from Palpatine. The Stygian had decided to return at the wrong moment. There were no games this time as Varo Skhan lunged at Obi-Wan as soon as it materialized. He quickly rolled out of the way. Anakin came to his senses and swung his lightsaber at the Chancellor, only to have his attack deflected by a red saber. As Anakin fought Palpatine, Obi-Wan was busy with evading the Stygian as best as he could. He had the jar hidden in his robes. He just needed to get it out and capture it.

A grunt caught his attention. He turned and saw Anakin on the ground, lightsaber out of his reach. He was in trouble. Obi-Wan looked between him, the Chancellor, the jar, and then the Stygian. He had an idea.

He ran towards Palpatine, his lightsaber attached to his hip and his hands wrapped around the rune-covered jar. He felt Varo Skhan pursuing him and he stopped right in front of the Sith Lord Chancellor with a cheeky grin. Then he rolled out of the way.

Palpatine wasn’t quick enough to evade the Stygian and Obi-Wan watched as black claws passed through where he had just been standing, sinking into the Sith’s flesh and tearing his chest apart until there was only a gaping hole. The Stygian dropped him when it realized it wasn’t the target it was after. Palpatine was dead. Varo Skhan turned its skull in Obi-Wan’s direction and for a moment, he lived in a world where dealing with a Sith Lord was the last problem he had to deal with for the day. Then the Stygian charged at him. He waited until the last moment to hold the jar in front of him and the creature gave an ear piercing shriek as it was sucked into the container. Once he was sure all of it was in there, Obi-Wan quickly shut the lid, sealing it inside.

Obi-Wan didn’t remember much of the aftermath. The war ended when Dooku surrendered. The clones had their chips removed in a surgical procedure on Kamino. Senator Organa was voted into office, becoming the new Supreme Chancellor. The Council made a few revisions to their Code which resulted in a few very heartfelt and relieved ceremonies. It was a busy couple of days. And then it was time for him to leave.

Anakin waited for him outside the Temple as he said goodbye to his new friends. Ahsoka gave him a hug, despite the two of them never having the chance to interact much. Waxer, Trapper, and Wooley all enveloped him in a tight embrace, he was pretty sure he heard one of them sniffling. Cody ruffled his hair fondly as Obi-Wan handed back the communicator he was lent. 

“When you see my older self again, don’t be afraid to tell him how you feel,” he told him quietly, catching the clone commander off guard.

But Cody smiled at him. “I think I might just take your advice, kid. Good luck out there.”

Obi-Wan grinned back at him then moved on to the Council members who bowed to him slightly. He returned the gesture before turning and running to Anakin and his ship. The future was interesting, but he was ready to return to his own time now.

The trip to Tangar was uneventful, something he was grateful for, especially after all that had happened. When they broke through the atmosphere of the dwarf planet, he took Master Yoda’s advice to use the Force to find the lake that would send him back home. Obi-Wan closed his eyes as he focused, searching for a sense of familiarity.

“There,” he said, pointing to a lake to the left.

Anakin turned the ship so that they landed on the island right above the body of water and he cut the engines. He cleared his throat, gaining Obi-Wan’s attention.

“Thank you, for everything,” he said earnestly. “If it weren’t for you, I probably would have accepted Palpatine’s offer. You helped me see things clearly.”

“I should be thanking you, too,” Obi-Wan said. “You helped me realize that I should not feel so insecure, that I should be happy to be wherever I am at any given moment.”

Anakin smiled at him. “You’ll become a great master, Obi-Wan. No matter what anyone says.”

He smiled back and exited the ship. He had the jar containing the Stygian secured in his robes. His lightsaber was still hanging at his side. As he stood on the edge of the floating island, he turned back to Anakin one last time and wondered if everything would be the same when he grew up. He then leapt off the cliff.

* * *

Obi-Wan woke up in the Jedi Temple, which was strange because he did not remember  _ being _ in the Temple when he’d gone to take a nap. In fact, he had been on his flagship when that happened. He yawned and stretched and got out of bed. His head hurt, like he was hungover. But he didn’t think he had any alcohol before he’d slept either. He pulled on his robe and stepped out of his quarters. He sensed something different in the Force.

As he walked down the corridors, he saw that there were clones walking about, conversing with other Jedi. Everyone seemed much more cheerful than he remembered. He turned and he saw a clone in familiar orange armor, just ahead of him. That’s where he’d get his answers. Obi-Wan jogged to catch up with him.

“Cody,” he called and smiled when the commander turned around. “Just the man I wanted to see. I do believe I need an explanation as to how and why I’ve ended up in the Jedi Temple when I clearly remember falling asleep on  _ the Negotiator _ ? Also, everyone seems to be in high spirits. Did something good happen?”

Cody stared at him in surprise before his expression melted into something akin to fondness. “A lot happened while you were gone, General. But before I tell you everything that went on, I have something important to say.”

Obi-Wan rose a brow. “Go on, then, commander.”

Cody held both of his hands gently. “You and I have been through a lot together, Obi-Wan. And I know you don’t know this right now, but there’s been a change in the Jedi Code that might let us explore these feelings I know we share. I care about you, a lot. And I would-”

They were interrupted by a loud gasp from behind them. Obi-Wan turned quickly and saw Anakin pointing at them. “That’s what tiny you meant when he brought up Cody!”

“Tiny me?”

“Yes! Force, am I glad to see you, master. Twelve-year-old you is great and all but it was weird seeing you without the beard. And where were you this entire time? Were you sent to the past?”

“I’m sorry,  _ what _ ? I didn’t go anywhere. And  _ what _ are you talking about? Twelve-year-old me?”

“A twelve-year-old version of you showed up suddenly and you disappeared while he took your place,” Anakin explained as though it was a very common occurrence. “He even ended the whole war with the Separatists and uncovered a Sith plot in the Senate while also capturing a dangerous prisoner on the side. I won’t lie, you were a bit of a badass.”

Obi-Wan blinked. “I thought all of that had been a dream.”

“It was very much real,” Cody said, though he seemed a bit annoyed at having been interrupted while in the middle of pouring his heart out. “You were a very cute kid, General.”

Obi-Wan felt his cheeks warm. “This whole ordeal is very peculiar. Perhaps I should propose a research expedition on Tangar to the Council. There’s much we can learn from that mysterious place.”

“You just found out that the war was finally over and the first thing you want to do is  _ more _ work?” Anakin complained.

“It’s not really work if I think of it as a vacation.”

“Ugh, I take it back, I think I like twelve-year-old you better.”

“I wish I could say the same for you, my former Padawan.”

Anakin groaned. “I’m leaving! I’m walking away!” he said as he turned around and left.

Obi-Wan chuckled as he watched him go. He had been serious about going back to Tangar for research. His memory of the lakes and his experience with traveling through time was a little hazy as it had happened so long ago, but he knew that there could be powers in those waters that could be dangerous if discovered by the wrong person.

“You’re handling this whole time travel situation rather well, General,” Cody commented, interrupting his thoughts.

“I’ve experienced stranger things,” he said with a shrug, turning to Cody with a grin.

And then he remembered their conversation before Anakin had so rudely butt in. Cody had feelings for him. The Council wouldn’t care if they pursued those feelings. His chest felt warm and he wasn’t sure if this was all a dream. His eyes flicked down to Cody’s lips and then back up to his eyes and he kissed him deeply in the middle of the hallway, pulling him in by his armor. The clone made a surprised sound but eventually he melted into the kiss and his hands settled over Obi-Wan’s hips, holding him gently. He pulled away after a moment, cupping Cody’s face.

“I would love for you to join me on my expedition to Tangar,” he said breathlessly.

Cody tugged him closer so that their noses bumped. “I’d follow you to the edge of the galaxy.”

“Is that a yes?”

Instead of receiving a verbal answer, they kissed again, and as they kissed, Obi-Wan mentally thanked his past self for the choices he made in the future that was his present. This was the happy ending he never thought he’d get to have.

**(EPILOGUE)**

Qui-Gon watched as his Padawan disappeared over the cliff, clinging to Varo Skhan. Fear tugged at his heart and he rushed to the edge. He couldn’t lose another Padawan, not after... He shook his head and knelt down, peering over the cliff. He couldn’t see Obi-Wan or the Stygian. It was as if they were never there. Where did they go? He could still sense his apprentice through their bond, but he felt distant, as if he was there and not there. It made no sense.

Qui-Gon didn’t know what to do. He could leave, return to the Council and tell them what happened, but that would mean potentially leaving Obi-Wan behind. He didn’t want to do that. He decided to ask for guidance through the Force. He would almost always receive vague answers when it came to the Force, but he was desperate for assistance. He crossed his legs, closing his eyes as he relaxed. His answer came in the form of a single word in his mind:  _ patience _ . He needed to be patient. He frowned, not understanding what that meant. Was he supposed to just sit there? What was he waiting for? 

A minute passed. There was only silence around him, the wind his sole companion. Then there was a change in the air. He turned quickly and saw his Padawan lying in the grass, his arms wrapped around an oddly shaped bulge in his robes. Qui-Gon leapt to his feet and rushed to his side.

“Obi-Wan,” he called to him softly.

The young Jedi’s eyes opened slowly and he looked up at him in confusion and then surprise. He sat up quickly. “Master?” he looked around at his surroundings and then at the jar in the front of his robes. “What- where-”

“Calm down, Padawan,” Qui-Gon placed a hand on his shoulder, soothing him through the Force. “What do you remember?”

Obi-Wan relaxed and took a deep breath. “I... the Stygian was trying to escape. I tried to stop it and grabbed its skull... And then it dragged me off the cliff,” he said. “After that... I think I might have been dreaming.”

“Did your dream include recapturing the Stygian?” Qui-Gon gestured to the jar.

“I believe it did,” Obi-Wan replied, but he sounded unsure. “But I can’t really remember the details.”

“That’s alright, my Padawan. Now I don’t really understand what happened to you, but the thing that matters most is that we’ve captured our prisoner,” he gave a small smile as he helped him stand. “And I don’t know about you, but I think I’m ready to return to Coruscant. You have much more to learn outside of missions.”

Obi-Wan’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “Does that mean you’ll finally teach me a new kata?”

Qui-Gon laughed mirthfully. “No.”


End file.
